Mother for Dinner

SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021‘Outrageous satire . . . extremely funny, weirdly touching’ – Guardian‘A work of genius’ – Scotsman‘Close-to-the-knuckle farce with a big beating heart’ – Daily MailThis is the story of an unusual family. Though they are nothing like yours, you will recognize them. They are the last Cannibal-Americans. And they have a problem.When their mother dies, twelve children gather to dispose of the body in the traditional manner . . . by eating it. But can they follow the ancient rituals of consumption? Is their unique cultural heritage worth preserving if it's this gross? And what about dietary requirements - one of them is vegan. Surely it can't be this hard to do the right thing?Mother for Dinner is a dark comedy about modern life and its many difficulties.

Bad taste has a purpose in this outrageous satire . . . grotesque, extremely funny, weirdly touching and acute, Daring, provocative and controversial . . . the outrageous nature of the comedy is done perfectly . . . This is a work of genius, I loved [it] . . . I devoured it in one sitting . . . I recommend you dig in, Laugh-out-loud funny . . Underlying the dark humour, it is, dare I say, a tender tale, A terrifically funny book . . . Close-to-the-knuckle farce with a big beating heart

Shalom Auslander was raised in Monsey, New York. Nominated for the Koret Award for writers under thirty-five, he has published articles in Esquire, New York Times Magazine, Tablet, the New Yorker, and has had stories aired on NPR’s This American Life. Auslander is the author of the short-story collection Beware of God, the memoir Foreskin’s Lament, and the novel Hope: A Tragedy. He is the creator of Showtime’s Happyish. He lives in Los Angeles.